The city of Crossfield celebrates the 74-year-old animal lover who has saved thousands of cats
It all started more than a decade ago when Edna Jackson, now 74, arrived at her former pet supply store in Crossfield, Alta, about 30 miles north of Calgary.
It was around 6am on a cold September morning, and she says she saw a plastic bag tied to the door.
Inside was a little calico kitten.
“It kind of pissed me off because I was dropping fish, I was dropping snakes. Dogs, cats, whatever,” she said in an interview with the Calgary Eyeopener Monday.
“I said to my husband, ‘Honey, I have to do something. I mean, these animals aren’t being cared for.’ And so… took out a second mortgage on the farm and set up an animal shelter.”
Animal shelter Tails to Tell opened its doors in 2010. Its focus is on cats, Jackson said, as they don’t have enough space to house more animals.
Overall, Jackson — who has 10 cats of her own — has helped find homes for more than 2,800 cats, volunteers estimate, and reunited hundreds more with their families.
“Beg, borrow, ask,” Jackson said, referring to their sales tactic.
“We had two brothers who stayed with us for eight years. They ended up being adopted and had to leave together, and they did.”
The shelter is a no-kill facility and is run by volunteers and donations. Jackson has never taken home a salary, she said.
Volunteers at the facility decided to throw a party for Jackson at the Crossfield Community Center on Saturday to celebrate her contributions to the community.
Colleen Holden first met Jackson eight years ago when she found her cat Cheddar at the shelter. Shortly thereafter, Holden began to volunteer.
“Edna, she just dresses you up,” she said. “She is an amazing woman.”
About 150 people showed up Saturday to celebrate Jackson’s work, Holden said. They had a small cat sign made for her and brought back a giant cake that read, “Thanks Edna for saving us.”
Jackson said the sight made her heart swell.
“It was absolutely incredible.”
A great teacher
Michele Jacobsen, another volunteer and board member at the shelter, gets emotional when she talks about the impact Jackson had on her life.
Not only has she associated Jacobsen with her cat, Potter, but says Jackson also taught her kindness, humor, and compassion.
“We all feel that Edna saves us every day and helps us to be better people. That’s why we’re all so devoted to her.”
Jacobsen recalls when she began volunteering at the shelter in 2019, feeding kittens, administering medication and cleaning litter boxes.
On one particular day, she’d missed a warning on a cat kennel saying it posed a risk of escape. When she opened the door, the cat ran out.
Chaos ensued, Jacobsen said.
“[Edna] just picked it up, cradled it gently in her arms, and carried it inch by inch to the kennel. And meanwhile the cat was urinating all over Edna. She didn’t miss a beat. Her first and foremost concern was the welfare of this cat,” she said.
“I learned something from Edna that day. You know, firstly, read the table. But second, just your patience. She didn’t scold me. She just said, ‘OK, well, what did you learn?’
“She’s just a very special woman.”
HEAR | Edna Jackson reacts to having a party thrown in her honor:
“She is our heroine”
And when help comes, it doesn’t matter who says it, Jacobsen said. Jackson welcomes them with open arms.
“People of all kinds, from young people to people their own age, people who need a place where they can be part of a team and make new friends,” she said. “Edna welcomes them all.”
Jackson hopes to continue to welcome more animals in the future.
She would like to find a larger space so she can associate more animals with her forever home.
But after so many years at the helm of the facility, Jackson is taking a small step back from her duties.
Instead of every day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., she works part-time from Thursday to Sunday.
Providing a little respite is the least the volunteers can do, Holden said, for a woman who has touched many hearts and paws.
“Of all the volunteers and the cats, she’s our hero.”
